Improvement in the manufacture of iron



itnitrd fitatrz' fitment (time.

JOHN DE WIIT WILLIAMS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR I TO HIMSELF AND JOHN WILSON BUTLER, OF SAME PLACE.

Letters Patent No. 104,091, dated June 7, 1870.

IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANUFACTURE 01" IRON.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

I, J GEN DE WITT W1LLIAMs, of Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement in the Manufacture of Iron, of which the following is a specification.

Nature and Object of the Iiwen-t'ion.

My invention consists in treating pig-iron, during the process of boiling or puddling, with a composition composed of litharge, common salt, and fresh slaked lime, for the purpose of depriving the metal of its carbon and other impurities, and of thus producing wrought iron-of superior quality.

General Description. For treating one ton/of pig-iron, the ingredients are "combined in the following proportions and quantities:

The lime is not slaked until it is required for use, when it is immediately mixed with the combined litharge and salt, the whole being then thrown into the furnace, upon the mass of molten pig-metal to be treated, and thoroughly mixed with the same.

A violent ebullition will ensue, during which the metal will be deprived of its carbon and impurities, such as phosphorus, sulphur, &c., the iron thus produeed, as I have ascertained by repeated tests, being tough, malleable, and equal in quality to the best rcfined'wrought iron.

The above proportions may in some cases be varied, this depending upon the nature of the metal to be treated, but it is necessary in every case that all the ingredients should be used.

Claim.

The treatment of iron during the process of boiling or puddling, with a composition consisting oflitharge, salt, and lime, combined substantially in the manner described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN DE WITI WILLIAMS.

Witnesses:

1 B. RICHARDS, HARRY SMITH. 

